All Entry and Exit Points of Islamabad to be equipped with Facial Recognition RFID System

All entry and exit points of the federal capital would be equipped with Radio Frequency Identification barrier by May this year enabling smooth entry and exit of the commuters and ensuring enhanced security of the federal capital.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed ICT Traffic Police to make intercity connection easier for the commuters.

The Minister directed Chairman NADRA to work on dovetailing the RFID system with facial recognition technology for enhanced security and facilitation purposes.

He has also directed that through the use of technology these points should be connected with the Safe City.

It was decided that additional lanes would be added, on need and land-availability basis, at all entry and exit points of the capital to ease traffic congestion at these terminals.

The decision was taken during high level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan at the Interior Ministry. The meeting was attended among others by Acting Secretary Interior Tariq Mehmood Khan, Advocate General, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Chairman NADRA, IG Islamabad, and senior officers of ICT police, administration and Interior Ministry. Representatives of NHA and CDA also attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the Interior Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the present state of traffic management on the main highways especially the roads linking the twin cities including the Express Highway, Kashmir Road and the Murree road.

The Minister observed that despite tall claims and rosy presentations, little improvement has been witnessed on ground in the traffic management system and citizens continue to face logjam during peak hours. This cannot go on, observed the Minister. He directed IG Police to personally monitor traffic situation and to ensure smooth flow of traffic especially on the highways with higher traffic volume.

The Minister directed that scientific methods should be adopted for traffic management with distinct traffic flow plan for the peak hours and lean timings.

The Minister directed ITP, NHA, CDA and NADRA for expeditious completion and operation of free lanes on the highways linking the twin cities.

He said that RFID tag system with distinct color would save the commuters from the hassles of frequent security checks at various police check points and would enable the ICT Police to ensure optimum utilization of its human resource.

The Minister also gave two weeks time to NADRA and ICT administration for working out modalities of cost calculation and issuance provision of RFID tags to the regular commuters.

The minister also directed NADRA to continue upgrading its systems and software so as to incorporate state of the art technologies in its database system. He gave two weeks time to Chairman NADRA to submit a detailed plan regarding upgradation of NADRA technologies and software.

He also directed that traffic on the roads of the capital should be organized and implementation of traffic rules should be ensured. The Minister directed ITP police to ensure wide circulation of public awareness campaign followed by strict implementation of the vehicle registration rules after the expiry of relaxation period of 15 days.

Non-implementation of traffic rules, tainted windows, fake or fancy registration plates should be discouraged thorough legal action against the violators, observed the Minister.

The minister also directed ICT Police, Traffic Police and NADRA for devising a mechanism for optimum utilization of SAFE CITY cameras for crime and traffic management. The presence of over 1950 cameras covering major all highways and arteries of the federal capital should be utilized in an optimum manner for curbing crime rate and to ensure smooth traffic flow in the capital.

Policing and counter-terrorism, said the Minister, are laborious tasks that need continuous efforts and optimum utilization of all resources available.

The minister directed the ICT Police and administration for greater attention towards improved emergency and response system in case any untoward incident.